Marvel Had Zero Plans for Daredevil—Until a Spider-Man: No Way Home Cameo Changed the Game

So, here’s a fun bit of superhero TV trivia you probably didn’t see coming: Marvel’s big plans for Daredevil—yep, Charlie Cox’s brooding, red-suited lawyer vigilante—were never really ‘plans’ at all. The revival of Matt Murdock in Daredevil: Born Again basically happened because of a last-minute cameo that made Marvel bosses go 'Wait, we can do more with this guy.' Seriously, we're talking “accidentally-on-purpose” territory here.

Daredevil's Unexpected Comeback: The Real Backstory

The not-so-secret origin of Daredevil: Born Again starts with Charlie Cox’s blink-and-you-miss-it appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home. On the very first episode of the Daredevil: Born Again Official Podcast, Marvel TV head Brad Winderbaum flat out admitted they were not planning a big TV comeback for Cox. His exact words:

'The second I heard that Charlie [Cox] was going to be in Spider-Man [No Way Home], I was like "we gotta make the show." It just opened the door. Once the door was ajar, I got a crowbar in there and inch it open.'

In plain English: Cox showing up in No Way Home was supposed to be some cheeky Marvel 'Easter egg.' But after that, Winderbaum and company seized the opportunity. Suddenly, you had Matt Murdock showing up across the MCU—She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, then Echo—and, before long, Marvel announced Daredevil: Born Again at D23 2022, with Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio (Kingpin—who else?) officially returning.

How The Timeline Lines Up (And Why Fans Had to Wait)

Here’s where the behind-the-scenes licensing dance gets interesting. After Netflix canceled Daredevil in November 2018, there was a 'no-take-backsies' clause: Marvel couldn’t use those characters anywhere else for two years. Do the math, and that two-year timeout expired right as Marvel was filming Hawkeye and Spider-Man: No Way Home in late 2020. So when Charlie Cox filmed his cameo, it was right as the clock ran out—and Marvel wasted zero time getting Kingpin back too.

Who’s Back, Who’s New, and Who Could Show Up?

Since Cox’s cameo rebooted the whole branch of Marvel TV, the MCU’s been quietly collecting its Netflix-era toys:

• Charlie Cox as Daredevil is now popping up everywhere, basically Marvel's street-level glue guy.
• Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin returned in Hawkeye and is now thoroughly re-inserted into the MCU world.
• Jon Bernthal’s Punisher and the Hand (remember them from seasons 1 & 2?) are lined up for Spider-Man: Brand New Day and more upcoming projects.
• Krysten Ritter is coming back as Jessica Jones in Born Again Season 2.
• Rumors (and a lot of wishful thinking) have Mike Colter, Finn Jones, and Elodie Yung possibly returning as Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Elektra, but nothing officially confirmed yet.

Why 'The Plan' Wasn’t Really a Plan

One of the most entertaining revelations here is how much of the MCU really just happens because someone had a good idea at the right time. Yes, Marvel has a reputation for world-building and endless planning, but honestly, plenty of their biggest crossover moments—Thanos, Infinity Stones, all that—were figured out as they went. The same goes for Daredevil’s rebirth: not calculated, just organic, and ultimately a lot more fun to watch unfold.

TL;DR: Daredevil’s Back Because…A Cameo Worked. No, Really.

Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is on the horizon, and the story behind its existence is a classic case of 'let’s see what happens.' So if you ever doubted Marvel knows how to roll with the punches, go rewatch Matt Murdock grab that flying brick in No Way Home and remember: all of this started just because one cameo unexpectedly cracked open the door—and Marvel, true to form, couldn’t help but barge right through.